Stage



July 13', 1954 J. w; suiIAKER STAGE Filed Feb. 13, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR JOH N W.'SLONA KER TORNEY 1954 J. w. SLONAKER 2,683,292

- STAGE Filed Feb. 13, 1946 3 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTYOR JOHN W. SLONAKER,

J. W. SLONAKER STAGE July 13, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 13, 1946INVENTOR JOHN w. SLO NAKER BY 5 Q I TTORNEYS Patented July 13, 1954UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE 2 Claims. (Cl. 20-1123) This invention relatesto improvements in stages and more particularly to a disappearing stageadapted to be moved from a concealed position, into a ballroom, clubroom or the like, so that performers in such rooms may be easily seen byan audience seated in conventional chairs, or standing, on the floor ofthe room.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a movable stageconstructed and arranged to be stored beneath a conventional stage atone wall of a room and adapted to be extended into the room in order toform an enlarged platform for the use of the artists.

Another object of the invention is to supply a movable or extensiblestage with motor operated means, under manual control, for projectingthe stage into a room or retracting it into a concealed position.

A further object is to provide electric motor operated means for thispurpose, including a switch or the like to automatically out off thecurrent to the motor when the stage approaches the limit of projected orretracted position.

A still further object is to furnish a duplex stage, including astationary platform and a movable platform, in combination with a stepadapted to be automatically propelled into a usable position betweenthem, when the movable platform is projected into extended position.

With the foregoing objects outlined and with other objects in view whichwill appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in thenovel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation, partly in vertical section andpartly broken away, of a stage, with one example of my improvements.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same, taken on the line 2-2of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a detail including adisappearing stage, shown in retracted position.

Fig. 4 is a similar view with the stage in partially projected position.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a detail including a limit switch and stopcams for operating the same.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the motor actuated means for moving theshiftable section of the stage .from retracted to projected position andvice versa.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of they structure shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a detail including one of the rollersemployed in supporting the movable section of the stage on a rail ortrack.

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10- is a side elevation of the same.

Referring to the drawings, ll designates one side of the front frame ofa stage l2 having a stationary floor l3 which juts forwardly, asindicated at M, from the wall E5 in which the frame is positioned. Thespace to the left of the stage in Fig. 2may be that of a club room,dining room, or an open air area, into which the movable section l6 ofthe stage maybe projected.

Such movable section, when in retracted position, occupies a cavity orpocket l'l beneath the stage floor and mainly at one side of the wallit. The section It may be of any suitable strong construction andconsist of rigid posts It, rigidly connected by horizontal bars l9 andbraced by inclined struts 2%. The framework so constructed, carriesbeams 21 supporting a floor 22, elevated above the main floor 23 of aroom or its equivalent.

In accordance with the invention, caster wheels 24, which may beprovided with rubber tires, are connected to the bottom portion of theframework, and support the movable section is on the main floor 23. Inorder to guide the movable section in its movement from retracted toprojected position and vice versa, parallel foundation rails 25,arranged on the main floor in perpendicular arrangement to the wall l5,support parallel angle irons 26, fixed to the rails. The vertical websof the angle irons abut opposite sides of guide wheels 2'] of the typeshown in'Figs. 8 to 10, inclusive. Each wheel has oppositely projectingpintles 28, journalled in sleeves 28 fixed to thebottom of a plate 30.The lat ter is provided with apertures 3! for the reception of screws,employed in securing the plate to the bottom of the framework.

The movable section may be moved from one position to another by hand,or by any appropriate prime mover. electric motor 32 (Figs. 6 and 7)fixed to the floor 23, drives, through a reduction gear 33, a winch 34.A cable 35 is wound about the winch, and has one of its ends extendingthrough a station-- ary bracket-or bar 36 at the front of the movablesection of the stage, and its other end extending through a bar orbracket 3! at the rear end of the section [6. For adjustment and shockabsorbing purposes, nuts 38 have threaded engagement with the endportions of the cable, and coil springs 39 are arranged on the cablebetween the brackets and nuts.

In order to automatically stop themotor when the'movable section reachesits forward position, a stop cam 49 (Fig. 5) adjustably connected to theframework of it, contacts and operates a limit switch ll that is finedto the floor 23 and interposed in the motor circuit. To stop the motorwhen the movable section reaches its stored position, a similar cam 42adjustably connected to the framework, forwardly of the cam For example,a reversible 3 40, acts upon the limit switch. Of course, the motor willbe started by any suitable manually operated switch (not shown).

To provide a stairway from the floor of the stationary section to thefloor of the movable section, the apron 43 (Figs. 3 and 4) at the frontof the main stage, has a centrally disposed doorway 44 to accommodate astep 45 which may be supported by rollers 46 on the floor 22 of themovable section. A spring or springs 4'1 fixed at one end to thestationary stage and at its other end to the step, normally holds thestep against a. stationary stop 48. An abutment 453 at the rear end ofthe top of the movable section engages the step and automatically pushesit forward when said section is moved into the projected position.

An apron or wall 59 is secured to the framework and functions both as adoor for the cavity or compartment I7, and to conceal the framework,when the movable section is in projected position.

In operation, assuming the shiftable section I6 is in retractedposition, if the motor 32 is started, to turn the winch 34 (Fig. 2) in acountor-clockwise direction, it will cause the cable 35 to pull on thebar 3'! and move the section id to its outermost position. As the stageapproaches that position, the stop cam 4. 3 will come into contact withthe limit switch 41 and automatically cut off the current to the motor.As the movable section It approaches its extreme forward position, theabutment 49 will contact the step 45 and move it into projectedposition, illustrated in Fig. 4.

When the movable section is to be returned to the stored or housedposition, the motor 32 is actuated in reverse direction and the winch 34is turned in a clockwise direction so that the cable 35 pulls on the bar36 to return the movable section to retracted position. As it movestoward that position, the spring means 41 functions to retract the step45 into contact with the stop 48, and as the section 16 approaches itsinnermost position, the stop cam 42 comes into contact with the limitswitch 4! and stops the motor.

Due to the elevation of the fioor of the movable section above the floor23 of a dining room or the like, visibility of the performers isprovided from any part of the room, and it will be unnecessary formembers of the audience to stand. Prior to the present invention, it wasnot possible for the smaller theaters to have automatic rising andlowering pits, and mechanical devices incident thereto because of theexpense. My device can be installed at a moderate cost and when themovable section is in the retracted position, dancing space is providedon the portion of the main floor previously covered by the movablesection.

It is obvious that stages in accordance with the present invention maybe built in various sizes and heights, depending on the size of the roomor the like with which it is to be employed and it should solve manyserious problems confronting clubs and hotels brought about by crowdedball rooms, obstructed views, and limited space.

While I have now disclosed what I consider to be a preferred embodimentof the invention in such manner that the same may be readily understoodby those skilled in the art, I am aware changes may be made in thedetails disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention, asexpressed in the following claims:

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A stage structure for a ball room or the like comprising incombination, a stationary and fixed stage floor structure, a main floorarranged below said stage floor and extending under the stage floor toprovide a cavity thereunder, a stage assembly including a rigid floorsecured thereto positioned above the main floor and below the fixedstage floor, rollers supporting the stage assembly for rolling movementon said main floor to a position under the fixed stage floor and to aprojected position supported on the main floor .iorwardly of an end ofthe fixed stage floor, a step member, rollers supporting said stepmember for rolling movement on the rigid fioor of the stage assembly, aspring attached to the fixed stage fioor structure biasing the stepmember to a rear position under the stationary stage floor, an abutmentcarried by the fixed stage floor structure limiting the movement of thestep member in response to the action of said spring to position a frontend of the step member flush with said end of said fixed stage floorstructure, and an abutment carried by the movable stage for engaging thestep member and moving it against the action of said spring duringmovement of the second stage floor to a projected position.

2. In a building structure, a stationary stage floor structure, a mainfioor arranged below said stage floor and extending under the stagefloor to provide a cavity thereunder, a stage assembly including asecond stage iioor movable on the main floor into said cavity under thestationary stage floor, a depending apron at the front of the stationarystage fioor having a doorway therein, a step member mounted for movementunder the stationary stage floor above the second stage floor andthrough said doorway, a spring urging said step member to a positionunder the stationary stage fioor, an abutment carried by the stationarystage fioor structure limiting the movement of the step member inresponse to the force of said spring to position a front portion of thestep member flush with said apron, an abutment carried by the movablestage for engaging the said step member and moving the step memberagainst the action of said spring during movement of the second stagefloor from a position under the stationary floor, and means for movingthe stage assembly.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date Re. 19,940 Creech 1. Apr. 26, 1936 310,226 Rice et al Jan. 6,1885 556,866 Rice, Jr Mar. 24, 1896 635,962 Henley Oct. 31, 1899 892,600Littmann July 7, 1908 1,208,245 Walker Dec. 12, 1916 1,506,974 CooleySept. 2, 1924 1,620,785 Roan Mar. 15, 1927 1,670,739 Partington May 22,1928 2,136,130 Gorlenko Nov. 8, 1938 2,290,242 Kosold July 21, 1942FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 354,759 Germany of 1922

